Jury deliberates in corruption trial of Philly Councilman Kenyatta Johnson, his wife and 2 others
Awaiting a verdict in the federal trial of Philadelphia Councilman Kenyatta Johnson and his wife
Federal authorities accused Philadelphia councilman Kenyatta Johnson of engaging in official actions in exchange for payments. His wife, Dawn Chavous, is accused of entering into a "sham" consulting agreement with a nonprofit that was used to funnel payments to her husband, authorities say.
CENTER CITY - The jury in the corruption trial of Philadelphia Councilman Kenyatta Johnson, his wife and two others deliberated until 4:30 Wednesday afternoon and broke for the day. They’ll be back in the morning.
Johnson, his wife, Dawn Chovous and two former executives with a city non-profit are all charged with two counts of honest services wire fraud.
The government alleges the former executives bribed Johnson with nearly $67,000 in payments to his wife’s consulting firm.
In return, the government alleges Johnson helped the non-profit, Universal Companies, with two troubled real estate holdings.
All four defendants have pled not guilty. Their lawyers argue the government has concocted a story with no evidence to back it up.
Prosecutors alleged the four engaged in a bribery scheme to deny the public of Johnson’s honest services.
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